Bongo Campervan Wifi

[eppiblue]

I came across a travel blog by a couple that spent a year around Europe in a Adria Twin.

He has started supplying wifi kit for campervans, and it looks really impressive. - http://www.europebycamper.com/2011/04/w ... urope.html

Anyone used something like this? Im thinking of investing!

For those that like data, he also logged every expense incurred over the year and published the data - really interesting stuff - http://www.europebycamper.com/2012/03/t ... es-it.html

[g8dhe]

A simple MiFi (Mobile WiFi) works very well, provided you have a SIM which works in the locations you need.
We have a Huawei E5830 turned on and logged in permanently (doesn't cost anything to be switched on and logged in as charging is on traffic levels) in the AFT, its cabled using the USB to the 12 volt supply, and with a couple of Velcro dots on the back it sticks to the roof quite happily. Coverage is for 4 devices within about 8m from the Van.
If you still have an original Vodafone SIM data card that doesn't expire its credit at the end of the month, its even better - just need to make sure you use it for a little traffic within a 3 month period and it stays valid, the cards are still available from EBAY at times.
No need for external aerials of any sort, unless you want to provide coverage to the rest of the campsite of course

[rapiddescent]

I have a solwise 3g router and USB 3g with a magmount booster antenna on the roof. Total cost about £70..! And you don't need to piggy back on someone else's WiFi connection

See:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-routers-3g-etr-9360.htm
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-datacard-to ... pt-026.htm

[briwy]

Quite few smart phones have a facility to use it as a wifi router. My HTC and other half's Samsung both work OK with a netbook. Found the 3G connection speed to vary a lot though.

[rapiddescent]

The trick is to put a massive booster antenna on the roof...

[dvisor]

I think the point of the equipment mentioned in the original post is to avoid having to use expensive 3G and mobile data when in Europe. As I see it, this equipment acts as a booster to existing wifi networks(s) in the vicinity. So, if the campsite has wifi, you can connect to it in the van, even if the signal is relatively weak. Likewise, if somebody is foolish enough (or perhaps kind enough) to leave their residential wifi open and unsecured, you have more chance of getting a strong enough signal to be usable. For example, I was at a site in Belgium last week which had wifi, but being on the edge of the site, the reception was very poor. A wifi booster would have let me use it free of charge from the comfort of the van, without having to incur mobile charges at 70p per Mb (I think that's the rate).

Tethering netbooks etc to smartphones would incur data costs, unless the smartphone is connected to the wifi itself. But then of course, you still have to have a strong enough signal.

[scanner]

A simple MiFi (Mobile WiFi) works very well, provided you have a SIM which works in the locations you need.
We have a Huawei E5830 turned on and logged in permanently (doesn't cost anything to be switched on and logged in as charging is on traffic levels) in the AFT, its cabled using the USB to the 12 volt supply, and with a couple of Velcro dots on the back it sticks to the roof quite happily. Coverage is for 4 devices within about 8m from the Van.
If you still have an original Vodafone SIM data card that doesn't expire its credit at the end of the month, its even better - just need to make sure you use it for a little traffic within a 3 month period and it stays valid, the cards are still available from EBAY at times.
No need for external aerials of any sort, unless you want to provide coverage to the rest of the campsite of course

I think you are missing the point it isn't just about using a dongle - it is about picking up wifi hotspots at a distance.

Adie ( as I guess it is he being reported on) has picked up free hot spots in Greece from over 20kms away across water.
Free hotspots are much cheaper than using a dongle abroad.

[briwy]

I agree it's an excellent idea but in my experiences of Europe and S America most, not all, free wifi networks still need a password to get on whether its a town one, bar etc.
If you are picking up a signal from 1 - 1.5km away it's going to be pretty difficult to do that as first you have to find where the network is and then go and get the password in which case you may as well go and have a drink there as well.

[g8dhe]

Yes it was a missed point!
However our experience of on-site WiFi is that the signals are invariably poor (yes external aerial helps) but the main problem is congestion with 10-40 units all trying to use the same bandwidth during the evening periods!

[Dodgey]

I travelled the world for a couple of years and used one of these with my laptop:

http://hawkingtech.com/products/wireles ... hwdn2.html

Another directional boosted wifi dongle. It looks like a gimmick - but trust me, it's not!

I would plug my laptop in and get maybe 2 wifi nets from the internal wifi, then I'd plug in the adapter above and sometimes get over 20!

I frequently logged onto hotel wifi accross the other side of motorways, rivers, beaches etc.

Often I'd buy a wifi credit on a french campsite - where they frequently only cover the bar area (where beers are mega expensive! - not stupid, the French), then use it back at my tent with the booster antenna.

When travelling SE Asia they still mostly use WEP - which means if you are in the know, you have free wifi everywhere

[eppiblue]

Some good posts and information but as some have pointed out the intended requirement is to pick up wifi from a distance, be it secured and you have the password or unsecured and you piggy back on someone else's kind nature.

In my experience of driving in France, if I have needed to find wifi in an emergency, usually a slow drive around a neighbourhood with a laptop open has revealed quite a few unsecured networks. I don't think the French are as savy with the interweb and its machines, given the look and feel of some of their websites (campingcar-infos and some of the aires POI sites are what comes to mind!)

Great suggestions on kit though, I'm looking forward to weighing them all up! I think the final solution will be a mix of a wifi directional antenna with local access point (ipads etc) and an EU 3G card / dongle for when wifi is not to be found.

[eppiblue]

I travelled the world for a couple of years and used one of these with my laptop:

When travelling SE Asia they still mostly use WEP - which means if you are in the know, you have free wifi everywhere

[Dodgey]

In my experience of driving in France, if I have needed to find wifi in an emergency, usually a slow drive around a neighbourhood with a laptop open has revealed quite a few unsecured networks. I don't think the French are as savy with the interweb and its machines, given the look and feel of some of their websites (campingcar-infos and some of the aires POI sites are what comes to mind!)

I did exactly the same many times, particularly in the Loir valley Me driving slowly round villages (particularly past small hotels) with the other half watching netstumbler on the laptop screen. Once I had a "lock on" I'd park up and post my blog, check my emails etc. Often had locals peering through their curtains at us wondering what the hell we were doing!

As for WEP - well, it's as useless as people say....

[dobby]

I have a solwise 3g router and USB 3g with a magmount booster antenna on the roof. Total cost about £70..! And you don't need to piggy back on someone else's WiFi connection

See:
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-routers-3g-etr-9360.htm
http://www.solwise.co.uk/3g-datacard-to ... pt-026.htm

Thanks for this tip, just ordered one and configured it today, superb!

[rapiddescent]

The battery in the router is a standard ultrafire battery also used in those high powered LED CREE torches on eBay. The torches are only £14 or so and have spare batteries and car chargers!